According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans eat an estimated seven billion hot dogs between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That's a lot of hot dogs in only a few months! And while that time frame is certainly grilling season, you can have your hot dogs outside of grilling season too. And even better, you can have them with more than just ketchup and mustard. Enter Smokey Dawggs, a gourmet hot dog food truck that takes the American frankfurter to new heights.
What is Smokey Dawggs?
A gourmet hot dog (dawgg) food truck and catering company serving Williamson County and the surrounding areas. We offer unique hot dawgg specials and build-your-own options.
Tell us a little about yourselves.
My name is Jim Hendel. I have lived in Tennessee since 1980, so I consider myself a Tennessee boy. My wife, Stella, and I have lived in Franklin for the last 22 years. Stella is originally from Colombia, South America, which is why we have Colombian recipes on our menu. We have a big family! We have four great kids, two sons and two daughters, and four amazing grandkids.
Why did you start a food truck business?
I always enjoyed cooking and, according to my family, I am pretty good at it (most of the time). When I was young, I worked in the food and restaurant industry. Stella and I always desired to have our own business, restaurant or food truck, but it never quite
worked out. In 2020, I was laid off from my corporate job due to Covid. That is when we considered the idea of a food truck. While I was out cruising the backroads of Leiper's Fork, I found the opportunity I was looking for - Smokey Dawggs was for sale. Smokey
Dawggs was founded in Leipers Fork in 2016, and we are proud to be the “OG” food truck of the Fork. In August 2020, we hit the ground running and thankfully have not slowed down since. We have been able to grow the business and upgrade from a pull-
behind cart to a large, enclosed, fully-equipped mobile kitchen trailer.
Describe Smokey Dawggs in 5 words
Welcoming. Familiar. Quality. Elevated. Delicious!
What makes Smokey Dawggs special?
We are a family business. While we are mostly a husband/wife duo, everyone that helps us on the truck is a family member… even our five-year-old granddaughter has been known to join in at the register occasionally. We love meeting new people and building
relationships with our customers while providing great service and consistent quality. Our customers are treated like family,
What are your most popular dawggs?
Our most popular signature dawgg is the “Drunken Colombian" (our exclusive whiskey soaked dawgg with mayo-chup, homemade pineapple relish, crushed chips and our secret smokey sauce). “Pete’s Dawgg" (whiskey dawgg with coleslaw, jalapeño and our
smokey sauce), named after one of our loyal customers, is a close second. Another crowd favorite, also named after a regular, is the “Tennessee Tim” - any dawgg topped with grilled onions, sauerkraut, a whole grilled jalapeño and smokey sauce.
Where can people find you?
Tuesdays: Leipers Fork (next to Creekside Trading)
Wednesdays: Fairview (Tractor Supply)
Thursdays: Franklin (Tractor Supply)
Fridays/Saturdays: Various special events and festivals
Visit Instagram @smokeydawggs, Facebook or our website SmokeyDawggs.com for our truck schedule.